Dongfeng is a name we are hearing more and more often. We have been familiar with it for a few years now, but it is now that the Chinese company is making its appearance in Europe. The product range is wide and includes various technologies and brands.
Some cars are already on sale and others are about to be launched. Dongfeng is also one of the Chinese giants interested in manufacturing cars in Europe and soon its cars could be assembled in Italy. It is therefore worth getting to know this company better, the cars it produces and its plans for the future (within the next three years, the group will invest over USD 14 billion in research and development to offer customers 18 cars and 22 commercial vehicles).
Dongfeng, company profile and brands Dongfeng, technologies Dongfeng, cars Dongfeng, research and development Dongfeng, company profile and brands Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a state-owned company headquartered in Wuhan , China, originating from the Second Automobile Works (called Erqi), founded in 1969. It is one of China's fast-growing auto giants not only in its own country (it is among the top 4 together with Chang'an Motors, FAW Group, and SAIC Motor), but worldwide in 2023 it sold 2.42 million vehicles, generating a turnover of more than €52 billion.
There are various brands within it. The main one is Dongfeng Passenger Vehicles, then there are the premium NEV (new energy vehicles) brand Voyah and the luxury off-road NEV brand Mhero . For all of them, the corporate mission statement is summed up with the slogan 'Drive your dreams'.
Also worth mentioning is the Forthing brand that was created in China by Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Group. DFSK, on the other hand, stands for Dongfeng Sokon Automobile, a Chinese automaker founded in 2003 as a 50-50 joint venture between manufacturers Dongfeng Motor and Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group. Dongfeng, which may produce in Italy , has also collaborated with over 10 international vehicle and component manufacturers, including Honda, Nissan, Peugeot and Citroën, exporting its products to more than 100 countries worldwide.
Dongfeng technologies The group's offer is very broad and includes different types of vehicles, from saloons to SUVs, MPVs and commercial vehicles, which in turn offer a complete range of products, including heavy, medium, light and mini lorries, buses, various types of pick-ups and specially equipped vehicles. There are three platforms for cars: DSMA modular platform for internal combustion engines and hybrid powertrains: characterised by hybrid-specific Mach power, low cost and a high degree of interchangeability; Quantum architecture for new energies: high-efficiency electric motor; integrated heat pump for cooling and heating; lightweight design; low aerodynamic drag; MORA platform for high-performance off-road NEVs: fully electronically controlled off-road chassis; intelligent off-road assistance systems; ultra-strong steel; integrated chassis with high-pressure moulded longitudinal bars. Dongfeng offers several types of NEV propulsion: hybrid-electric (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and bi-fuel methane (CNG); it has also made progress in the field of solid-state batteries , achieving a power density of 400 Wh/kg.
Soon, according to the group, 600 Wh/kg will be exceeded and advanced CTC battery pack technology will be adopted. Dongfeng's solid-state batteries are currently undergoing large-scale road demonstration tests, with operational tests exceeding 1.6 million kilometres (1 million miles).
Finally, Dongfeng is the first automotive company to conduct FCV fuel cell research and application in China. Dongfeng cars The Dongfeng cars that can already be bought in Europe (but not in all countries) are various, e.g.
Forthing Friday , Forthing U-Tour, Voyah Dream and Voyah Free. The Dongfeng Box and Voyah Courage were unveiled at the Turin Motor Show, which took place in the Italian city over the past few days (13-15 September). Both will go on sale later this year and prices will be announced shortly (at the moment, we know that the Box is expected to be priced at around €23,000 (approx.
£19,500) in the full-optional version). Dongfeng Box The Dongfeng Box is a small electric hatchback (4.03 metres long, 1.
81 metres wide and 1.57 metres high) and is the first model built on the Dongfeng Quantum Architecture S3 platform. It promises 205-267 miles of range and 30 minutes for super-fast charging.
It will go on sale by the end of 2024 at a price of around €23,000 (approx. £19,500) in the full-option version. Dongfeng 007 The Dongfeng 007 is a large saloon, very aerodynamic and coupe-like in shape (drag coefficient down to 0.
209 Cd), just under 5 metres long and won the Red Dot Product Design Award 2024. More information will come later. Dongfeng 007 Dongfeng 008 The new 008 will be unveiled in October at the Paris Motor Show .
It will be the second car from the brand created by Dongfeng Aeolus to focus on New Energy Vehicles (NEV). Dongfeng 008 Dongfeng Huge The Dongfeng Huge is a hybrid SUV 4.72 metres long, 1.
91 metres wide and 1.70 metres high. Given the great interest in this type of car in Europe, it is very likely that it will also arrive here.
Dongfeng Huge Dongfeng Mage The Dongfeng Mage is a compact SUV with a 150 kW Dongfeng Mach Power 1.5T engine and maximum torque of 305 Nm, a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and a four-wheel independent suspension system. It too will most likely be sold in Europe.
Dongfeng Mage Dongfeng Shine The Dongfeng Shine is a sports car equipped with a 1.5T Mach Power turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine (maximum power 197 PS and maximum torque 300 Nm), mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. Top speed is 124 mph.
Dongfeng Shine Mhero 1 The Mhero 1 is the brand's first luxury off-road vehicle launched by Dongfeng in 2022 (the platform is the off-road MORA). Designed to compete with the electric Hummer, the Mhero 1 has four-motor drive with a maximum power output of 1,088 PS and a maximum torque of 1,400 Nm and is capable of sprinting from standstill to 62 mph in 4.2 seconds.
Mhero 1 Voyah Courage Voyah Courage is a mid-size electric SUV with lots of on-board technology (options include a Level 2 assisted driving system). It will go on sale by the end of 2024 at a price to be announced. Voyah Courage Voyah Free The Voyah Free is an electric SUV that is 4.
9 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and 1.6 metres high, with a wheelbase of 2.
9 metres. The rear compartment has a load capacity of 560 litres, which can be increased to 1,320 litres by folding down the rear seat backrests. It can already be ordered in Italy.
Voyah Free Voyah Dream The Voyah Dream is a luxury electric MPV offering up to seven seats. With a length of 5.31 metres and a wheelbase of 3.
2 metres, it is equipped with a dual-motor powertrain in two battery variants, with a range of up to 466 miles in the Chinese homologation cycle. Voyah Dream Voyah Passion The Voyah Passion is a 5.08-metre long electric and plug-in hybrid saloon that in the EV version boasts two engines with a total of 510 PS, all-wheel drive, 0-62 mph acceleration in 3.
8 seconds and a range of up to 453 miles. The plug-in hybrid additionally has a 1.5 petrol engine for a total of 530 PS and 163 miles electric range.
Voyah Passion Dongfeng research and development Dongfeng has four research and development centres (three in China, in Wuhan, Xiangyang and Shanghai; and one in Sweden, in Trorhatan), where more than 14,000 people are currently employed. It holds more than 6,000 patents in the automotive sector and 65 high-value patent clusters in the most important areas of the industry, including new energy and smart connectivity. Within the next two years, dedicated software research centres will be established in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and other cities.
In the field of styling and design, more than USD 50 million will be invested to build a dedicated, world-class centre , as well as design centres in Europe and Japan. More China related news::.
